WITH the policy against crowds as measure against Covid-19 lifted, Mayor Crisostomo Garbo said Thursday, February 20, that Mabalacat City's crowd-drawing Caragan Festival will push through on March 5 and 6.

"But we will undertake all measures to ensure the health of the public," Garbo told SunStar Pampanga amid expectations that tens of thousands of participants and tourists will show up for the two-day festival.

Garbo had cancelled the Caragan Festival initially slated today, February 21, arising from the policy of the Department of Health (DOH) against organizing crowd-drawing events to avoid the spread of the new virus.

The mayor made the announcement after the DOH, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Tourism (DOT) released Tuesday, February 18, a joint statement announcing that "it is safe to organize and attend public gatherings, meetings and festivals as long as all precautionary measures identified by the DOH are observed."

The joint statement, signed by three Cabinet secretaries, is a clarification of the DOH's advisory on concerts and other public events and gatherings issued last February 7.

"We will make sure that all health precautions are in place," said Garbo amid the P7-million funding for the event commemorating the founding of the city by an Aeta chieftain named Caragan centuries ago.

He said thousands are expected to show up for the Caragan dance event on March 6 and the closing ceremonies at the city hall area the following day. (Ding Cervantes/SunStar Pampanga)